Student Suicide Prevention Policy and Administrative Regulations Work with Santa Clara County School Districts 2013 - 2014

Agenda Purpose of Talk Data on California Youth Suicides Santa Clara County Suicide Prevention Efforts Justification For a Suicide Prevention Policy A Suicide Prevention Policy Taking Action Motivation/Situation Obstacles/Difficulties Results and Other Mental Health Factors Recommendation Contact Information Questions and Answers

Why Give This Talk? Two reasons: All Santa Clara County school districts personnel should know if your district: Adopted a suicide prevention policy and administrative regulations (ARs) If the ARs are being implemented My personal mission: Prevent individuals from seriously harming themselves or taking their lives Partially accomplish this objective through awareness and training

Folks, Do You Know We Have A Problem? The data on California children/youth (0-19 years old) suicides (1991 – 2012): Total suicide deaths: 3,784 Average annual number of suicide deaths: 172 There are at least twelve, active, youth suicide clusters statewide Youth percentage of total suicides(all ages):5%

Is The Problem More Significant Than You Realize? The data on California children/youth (0-19 years old) for suicide attempts: Hospitalizations (1991 – 2012): Total non-fatal injuries: 65,000 Average annual number of suicide attempts: Between 2,500 to 3,000 Emergency room visits (2006 – 2012): Total non-fatal injuries: almost 56,000 Average annual suicide attempts: 7,500 to 10,000 Youth percentage of total suicide attempts(all ages):25%

Are Suicides Just Limited To A Few Locations Are Suicides Just Limited To A Few Locations? Most Populated Counties Suicide Data California Children/Youth (0-19) 1991 to 2012 2006 - 2012 County Suicide Deaths Hospitalizations ER Visits Los Angeles 891 17,269 11,445 San Diego County 314 5,512 4,489 San Bernardino County 253 3,956 3,785 Orange County 248 6,104 3,767 Riverside County 189 4,643 3,666 Sacramento County 179 2,000 2,573

What Actions Have Your County Taken To Reduce Suicides? In Santa Clara County these actions occurred: A Santa Clara County Suicide Prevention Advisory Committee (SPAC) formed Produced Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan (2010) Including a Needs Analysis: children (0 - 15) and young adults (16 – 25) Strategy Four: Implement Policy and Governance Advocacy to Promote Systems Change in Suicide Awareness and Prevention School composition: Thirty Two (32) school districts plus County Office of Education

Do You Really Need Justifications For A Suicide Prevention Policy? Here are some justifications: A critical time for mental heath conditions: the teenage years Suicide: the third leading cause of death for 10 – 19 year olds A call to have school suicide prevention strategies: Superintendent Torlakson’s January 2013 letter Parental concerns about children mental-emotional health: Lucile Packard Children's Health Council Bay Area parents survey(2006) School children do exhibit mental health conditions: Santa Clara County study -- Every Child Has a Story: The Need For Mental Health Prevention and Early Intervention Services (2008) School psychologists have concerns: National Association of School Psychologist (NASP) Presidents’ Call To Action letter (2009)  

Are Only Advocates Saying We Need A Suicide Prevention Policy? “Even if legal liability is uncertain, however, no agent of a school board should ignore a student’s cries for help; and no school board should ignore the possibility that a well-defined suicide prevention policy, combined with staff training and accessible higher officials, could further reduce the chances that this sort of suit will ever be considered.” (Student Suicides and School System Liability by Cindy Singer Cafaro , page 28) http://sogpubs.unc.edu/electronicversions/slb/slbsprsum00/article2.pdf

Are A School Suicide Prevention Policy And Administrative Regulations Unusual? The California School Board Association has templates for: Standard suicide prevention policy (BP 5141.52) Administrative regulation (AR 5141.52)

What Would Your Ideal Suicide Prevention Policy Provide? Here is what mine would have: Education and training program to improve awareness Communication approaches and plan Data/surveillance collection and analysis Interventions and Screening programs A peer support organization Crisis planning including follow-up response (i.e. crisis response team) Continued

What Would Your Ideal Suicide Prevention Policy Provide? Here is what mine would have additionally: Parental involvement Reference existing state, county, and other school district suicide prevention plans Timeline to implement strategies Funding suggestion(s) Distribution plan An annual update of accomplishments and next steps

If Action is Needed, Don’t You Need To Act? Between 2013 – 2014 requests were made: each of Santa Clara County school district superintendent emailed/asked to adopt a suicide prevention policy Emailed supporting documents, including: Sample suicide prevention policies The Executive Summary, Santa Clara County’s Suicide Prevention Strategic Plan (2010) The California State Superintendent of Public Education Tom Torlakson’s January 2013 letter A free online suicide prevention training (QPR) flyer A resource list A resource letter to a school district with significant student suicidal ideation and attempts

But, What If There is Still No Action? What Next? If a school district superintendent did not respond, then: A follow-up email sent, noting attendance at an upcoming school board meeting Spoke during public comment section Co-presented with a school district board of education member, when possible Requested a suicide prevention policy and administrative regulations Stated the number of county school districts that had adopted a Suicide Prevention Policy and Administrative Regulations Provided handouts Where time permitted: Engaged school district PTA Council members and parents Met with teachers’ union officers

And, If There Is Still No Action? Is It Time To Give Up? Looked at additional actions to encourage a suicide prevention policy Wrote a report: Asked all school district superintendents and school board chairpersons to review Noted the report would be revised per additional policy approvals Delivered a copy to the county board of education and county superintendent Provided a copy to the county mental health director Sent a report to the California Office of Education (David/Monica) Distributed this report hither and yond

What Motivation Do You Need To Act? Here is what motivated me? The number of teenage deaths in Santa Clara County: Thirty three teenage suicides (2009 to 2012) Having met more than the normal number of school districts’ superintendents all because of tragedies Being informed of several school districts experiencing suicide contagions/clusters Being asked to assist schools experiencing increasing numbers of children/youth suicide attempts

What Are Obstacles/Difficulties If Not To Overcome? I experienced the following: School districts personnel did not have time Recent education requirement changes made school personnel even busier In some cases, board members or staff were not aware of an existing school district suicide prevention policy A suicide prevention policy existed but was not acknowledged Gamut (an online application) can be very helpful

What Results Can Be Expected? There were slow and gradual outcomes: Five school districts: SP policy & ARs prior to 2010 Four school districts: SP policy & ARs in 2010 Five school districts: SP policy & ARs in 2012 Ten school districts: SP policy & ARs since June 2013 Four school districts: considering a SP policy & ARs Three school districts: no indication of any action One district: unique, so no request Santa Clara County Office of Education: SP policy & ARs

Here are Santa Clara County’s Results Alum Rock Union School District Fremont Union High School District Milpitas Unified School District San Jose Unified School District Berryessa Union School District Gilroy Unified School District Moreland School District Saratoga Union School District Campbell Union High School District Lakeside Joint School District Mount Pleasant School District Sunnyvale School District Campbell Union School District Loma Prieta Joint Union School District Mountain View Los Altos High School District Union Elementary School District East Side Union High School District Los Gatos Union School District Oak Grove School District Evergreen School District Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union H.S. District Orchard School District Franklin-McKinley School District Luther Burbank School District Palo Alto Unified School District Santa Clara County Office of Education

Some Other California Counties Have A Suicide Prevention Policy ALPINE COUNTY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Fairfield-Suisun Unified School District Salinas Union High School District Beaumont Unified School District FORTUNA UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT SANTA MONICA-MALIBU UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Claremont USD Gonzales Unified School District SANTA YNEZ VALLEY UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT Chula Vista Elementary School District Lompoc Unified School District SCOTT VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Davis Joint USD Murrieta Valley Unified School District Woodland Joint Unified School District EL RANCHO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Pleasanton Unified School District

What Other Mental Health Information Can You Obtain That Is Helpful? Santa Clara County school districts use third-party/contract mental health services providers: Most school districts use a contracted mental health provider There is no predominate mental health provider, instead there are many service agencies Mental health providers may not be well versed in suicide prevention techniques

Are There Additional Resources Worth Asking About? In Santa Clara County some school districts have: Memorandum of understanding with Mental Health Department for services (School Linked Services) Trainings: Mental Health First Aid Suicide prevention gatekeeper program (Question, Persuade, and Refer)

Were There Further Outcomes From This Work? On July 21, 2014, California State Superintendent of Public Education Tom Torlakson issued a letter encouraging all California school district superintendents and charter school administrators to adopted a student suicide prevention policy and administrative regulations.

What Can You Do? If your school district does not have a suicide prevention policy and administrative regulations, advocate for one. If your school district does have a suicide prevention policy and administrative regulations, see that the ARs are implemented.

Do You Want More Information? Contact: Victor Ojakian ojakian@comcast.net

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